The Putin regime is the gravest threat to democracy and Western values that exists in the world today. Putin's power as Russia’s leader is based in fear, mystery, and propaganda. Putin has wielded violence as the key tool in shaping a system that gives him unrivaled power and wealth, both within Russia and worldwide.

PutinCon highlighted how thin the façade of his control truly is. This gathering of Russian democracy activists, Kremlin experts, Putin biographers, law enforcement professionals, historians, foreign policy leaders, and intelligence analysts told the story of how Russia is crippled by totalitarian rule.

seSsion 1: Putin’s Rise to Power
 

How did Putin take a democratic country and turn it into a dictatorship with a cult of personality? This session covered how Russia went from being a "friend" of the free world to a "designated enemy." It focused on Putin's consolidation of power and how Russia lost its way, including an overview of the 1999 apartment bombings in Moscow, the Chechen War, the destruction of independent media, and the destruction of independent business. Finally, the session's speakers discussed the free world's lack of action while this transition to authoritarianism occurred. 

Speakers: Garry Kasparov, David Satter, Arkady Babchenko, Yegveni Kiselev and Anders Åslund

SESSION 2: PUTIN'S REACH AND VISION

What will the future look like if Putin has his way? What is his foreign policy? What is Putin's influence inside the United States, Europe, and the rest of the world?  This session illuminated issues including Russian interference in foreign elections, hacking, and the chaos caused by Putin's propaganda across the world. The speakers analyzed Putin's contamination of global politics and drew a parallel between the rise of Putin and the decline of freedom across the world.

Speakers: President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, James Kirchick, Molly McKew and Luke Harding

lunch session: inside putin's mind

What do democratic leaders and foreign policy experts need to know in order to understand Putins thinking properly? A renowned neuroscientist with expertise in psychopathy and narcissism explained how dictators think.

Speaker: James Fallon

SESSION 3 (Option 2): the killingS of vladimir putin

One way Putin maintains control is by killing those in his path, and orchestrating calamities to create public support for his police state. This session explored the political assassinations of Alexander Litvinenko, Boris Nemtsov, and Anna Politskovskaya, among others, and the suspicious circumstances surrounding events like the downing of MH17 in 2014.

Speakers: Amy Knight, Andrei Soldatov, and Aric Toler

SESSION 4: the richest man in history and his accomplices

In this session, speakers analyzed the extent of kleptocracy in Russia, with a focus on collusion between Putin and his accomplices. What does Putin own and how did he acquire it? Who are Putin's bagmen and cronies, his foreign accomplices, his local enablers? What should international law enforcement do in light of this information? 

Speakers: Preet Bharara, Boris Reitschuster, Nikita Kulachenkov, Olga Litvinenko, and Bill Browder

session 5: the end of putin's tyranny

A panel of experts examined the likelihood and potential instigators of an end of Putin's reign. If Putin ceases to look strong will his cronies betray him? What will accelerate the end of the regime? Will strong deterrence and sanctions bring about Putin's downfall? Will Putin's regime end when he dies of old age? Will he groom a successor? What is possible and what is likely?

Speakers: Vladimir Kara-Murza, Garry Kasparov, Miriam Lanskoy, and David Kramer